My instant reaction was why phone and pay money for something that you can get anyway just by not phoning or not even participating. I still think that.

I always find ANZAC day very conflicting. It is of course a way to remember war and the people who have fallen fighting for their country. But it is also a way of glorifying war and I don’t agree with that. I also feel that men and women who have fought for their country during other conflicts are forgotten because the focus is so much on the first and second world wars. I have never understood why these two wars have such a high focus when wars both before and after seem to lack that focus.

I could go on for ages but the thing that struck me is that I just do not believe that my Grandfather, who was in the Second World War would have thought much of someone phoning in for a minutes silence. If I am going to give money to the RSL I think I would like to see them ask for it through different means and through the filter of helping all of those who have been to war, any war, all sides not just as a special event on ANZAC Day. I do of course realise that this can happen anyway but for me this was cheapening what is important about remembering conflict and that is the people.